Vehicle-mounted earth drill with detachable tower



Sept. 8, 1970 c. L. RASSIEUR VEHICLE-MOUNTED EARTH DRILL WITH DETACHABLETOWER Filed 001:. 8. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 65 65a. 8| 55 BI 75 67 75FIG. 1

PUG-7 23m CHARLES L. PAGS/EUI? Sept, 8, 1970 c. RASSIEUR 3,527,309

VEHICLE-MOUNTED EARTH DRILL WITH DETACHABLE TQWER Filed Oct. 8, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl i. 4- CHARLES 1.. RASS/EUP United States Patent O3,527,309 VEHICLE-MOUNTED EARTH DRILL WITH DETACHABLE TOWER Charles L.Rassieur, University City, Mo., assignor to Central Mine EquipmentCompany, St. Louis, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Filed Oct. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 765,849 Int. Cl.E21c 11/02 U.S. Cl. 173-28 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An earthdrill mounted on a sliding bed at the rear of a truck and having adetachable tower part which may be detached from the main earth drillframe and mounted on a headache rack forward of the main earth drillframe by lowering the drill frame, clamping the tower to the rack andsliding the drill from a forward to a rearward position. Tapered pins onthe lower end of the tower slide out of sockets on the drill frame whenthe drill frame is lowered to a horizontal position and the drill slidesfrom its forward to its rearward position. The tower is attached byreversing the process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to vehicle-mountedearth drills, and in particular to such a drill having a detachabletower, provided with quick-disconnect couplings.

A vehicle-mounted earth drill is generally mounted on a slidable bed atthe rear of a truck, or on a track carrier, trailer, skid or the like.The drill is pivotally mounted, so as to be movable from a substantiallyvertical operational position to a substantially horizontal travelposition for moving the drill from place to place. The drill issupported by a drill frame. The lower part of the frame forms a supportfor a slidable drill drive, while the upper part of the frame forms atower. The term drill frame will be used herein to designate the lowerpart of the frame, and the upper part will be referred to simply as thetower.

In operation, the vehicle is moved to a desired drilling site, the drillis raised to a vertical position, and the slding bed is hydraulicallymoved rearward a short distance, on the order of a foot or a foot and ahalf to the on-hole position. The hole is then drilled.

Taking samples of the soil at frequent intervals with sampling toolssuch as thin-wall tube and split-tube samplers requires the slidingbase, tower, and a rope or cable hoist. The drill is hydraulically slidforward to the off-hole position, and tools are handled by means of acable or rope brought over a pulley at the top of the tower. However,use of the tower is not always required, as for eXample in making aseries of probes to determine the depth of bedrock. These can be made byadvancing the hole by means of angers, and the angers then pulledhydraulically.

The height of the tower necessitates lowering the drill each time thevehicle is moved from one drilling site to another, thus causing delayand inconvenience. Particularly in wooded areas, it also restricts thenumber of convenient drilling sites.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a vehicle-mountedearth drill which can be moved conveniently from location to locationwithout lowering the drill.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in thelight of the following description and accompanying drawing.

Patented Sept. 8, 1970 'ice In accordance with this invention, generallystated, a vehicle-mounted earth drill of the type in which a drill ispivotally mounted on a slidable bed is provided, in which a tower isdetachably mountable on the drill frame, and may be stored on a supportmounted on the vehicle. The pivotal movement of the drill frame and thesliding movement of the sliding bed move the drill frame into engagementwith the tower while the tower is on its support.

In the preferred embodiment, the tower is provided with tapered pins atits lower end which fit into sockets on the upper end of the drillframe. The tower and drill frame are coupled by lowering the drill framewhile the bed is in its rearward position and then moving the bedforward. The pins and sockets thus form quick connect couplings whichwhen engaged mount the tower on the drill frame and allow the tower anddrill frame to be lifted as a unit. The tower is detached from the drillframe by the reverse procedure.

Also in the preferred embodiment clamps are provided on the towersupport for holding the tower to the support when it is stored on thesupport, and when the tower is being mounted on or detached from thedrill frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a view inperspective of one illustrative embodiment of vehicle-mounted earthdrill of this invention, with a tower stored on a support structure, adrill frame in a raised position, and a sliding bed in a rearwardposition;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation of the earthdrill of FIG. 1 in which the tower is on its support structure, thedrill frame is lowered, and the bed is in its rearward position;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation of the earthdrill shown in FIGS. 1-2 in which the tower is on its support structure,the drill frame is lowered, and the bed is in its forward position;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation of the earthdrill shown in FIGS. 13, in which the drill frame and tower have beenraised, and the bed is in its forward position;

FIG. 5 is a detail in side elevation of one pin and socket used to jointhe tower and the drill frame;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the tower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,reference numeral 1 indicates one illustrative embodiment ofvehicle-mounted earth drill of this invention. The earth drill 1includes a truck 3 having a hydraulically slidable bed 5. The slidablebed 5 is movable from a rearward position, shown in FIG. 1, to a forwardposition. The length of travel of the slidable bed 5, in thisillustrative embodiment, is about 15 inches.

Mounted on the bed 5 are a primary power source 7 and a drill framesupport 9. Pivotally mounted on the drill frame support 9 is a drillframe 11 having a pair of laterally spaced girders 12 on which aremounted a pair of hydraulic cylinders 13. A drill drive 15 is slidablymounted on the hydraulic cylinders .13. The drill drive 15 is raised andlowered on the hydraulic cylinders 13 by rams 17 in the hydrauliccylinders 13. The rams 17 are connected to the housing of the drilldrive 15 by means of connecting rods 19.

The drill frame girders 12 are joined at their upper ends by a web 21consisting of a pair of parallel side plates 23 welded to the girders 12outboard of the girders 12, a rear tie plate 25 welded to the sideplates 23, and three forward tie plates 27 welded end-to-end to eachother and to the side plates 23. A stiffener plate 28 is welded betweenthe rear tie plate 25 and the forward tie plates 27.

Near the upper end of each girder 12 an upper coupling 29 and a lowercoupling 39 are provided on the outboard side of the girder .12. Eachupper coupling 29 consists of a sleeve 31, an upper sleeve support plate32 and a lower sleeve support plate 35. The upper sleeve support plate32 is provided with an arcuate yoke which snugly embraces the upper endof the sleeve 31 and is welded to it. A fiat edge 34 of the upper plate32 is welded to the side plate 23. The lower sleeve support plate 35 isprovided with an arcuate yoke 36 which is welded to the bottom margin ofthe sleeve 31. A square yoke 37 on the lower support plate 35 is weldedto the drill support frame girder 12 at a position immediately below theside plate 23.

Each coupling 39 consists of a sleeve 41 having a smaller inner diameterthan the sleeves 31 of the upper couplings 29, and an upper and a lowersleeve support plate 45. The upper and lower support plates 45 areidentical with the lower support plates 35 of the upper coupling, andare welded to the upper and lower margins of the sleeve 41 and to thegirder 12 in the same manner as the sleeve support plates 35.

Also mounted on the truck 3, straddling the slidable bed and generallyforward of it, is a headache rack 51 designed to support a tower 61 whenthe tower 61 is in a lowered position. The headache rack 51 includes sixvertical angle irons 53 arranged in two generally parallel rows. Crossbraces are provided to stabilize the vertical angle irons. Welded to thetops of the three vertical angle irons defining each row is an upperangle iron 55. The height and spacing of the vertical angle irons 53 areso chosen that the upper angle irons 55 form a cradle for the tower 6.1.The tower 61 is held in position on the headache rack 51 by means ofclamps 81 hinged to the upper angle irons 55.

The tower 61 is generally of standard construction, having a box framedefined by four tubular frame members 63a-d. The short sides of the boxare vertical when the tower is in its lowered position. The pairs oftubular members, 63a-63b and 63c63d, defining the short sides are joinedby spaced struts 65 through most of the height of the tower. At thelower end of the tower (that is, at the end of the tower which is lowerwhen the tower is in a raised position) the pairs of tubular membersdefining the short sides of the box are joined by support plates 67. Thetubular frame members 63b and 63d defining a broad face of the box arejoined by cross braces 66. At the upper end of the tower 61 the tubularframe members 63a-d are welded to a fiat plate 71. A sheave bracket 68and sheaves 69 are mounted on the plate 71.

At the lower end of the tower 61 a tapered tubular pin 73 is secured toeach support plate 67, outboard of the support plate 67. Each pin 73 isalso stabilized by a pair of plates 75 welded to the pin 73 and to anadjacent tubular frame member 63. The pins 73 are conveniently machinedfrom a tubular piece of steel to form three sections: a cylindricalupper section 76, a cylindrical lower section 77 of smaller diameterthan the upper section 76, and a frusto-conical center section 78.

The headache rack 51 is proportioned to hold the tower 61 in such aposition that the long axes of the pins 73 are horizontal. The clamps 81are of a length equal to the distance between adjacent short towerstruts 65. When the tower 61 is on the rack 51, the clamps 8.1 aretightened to engage tubular frame members 63b and 63d between struts 65,thereby preventing the tower 61 from sliding on the rack or bouncing offof it.

The tower 61 and the pins 73 are so proportioned that the upper andlower pin sections 76 and 77 mate snugly with the couplers 29 and 39respectively on the drill frame 11. Therefore, when the tower 61 ismounted on the drill frame 11, the tower and frame act as one unitwithout appreciable play. Chamfers 79 on the lower ends of the lower pinsections 77 and slight bevels on the upper ends of the inner surfaces ofthe sleeves 31 and 41 are provided to ease the fit of the pins 73 intothe couplers 29 and 39. A small amount of play in the headache rack 51and clamps 8.1 allows the couplings 29 and 39 to slide over the pins 73smoothly, even if they are slightly misaligned. Smooth coupling andseparation are assured by the fact that the hydraulic system moving theslidable bed 5 provides a force on the order of several tons.

Because the travel of the slidable bed in this illustrative embodimentis about fifteen inches, the length of the pin 73 is conveniently aboutfourteen inches, to give adequate clearance when the tower and drillframe are detached while assuring maximum strength and stability whenthey are coupled. With a fourteen inch pin on the tower, each sleeve onthe drill frame may be about four inches long, and the upper and lowerdrill frame couplings may be separated by about six inches.

In operation, the tower 61 may initially be mounted on the drill frame11, and the tower and drill frame may be in their lowered position, withthe tower clamped to the headache rack 51, all as shown in FIG. 3. Ifthe drill is to be used without the tower, for example for augerdrilling, the slidable bed 5 is first moved to its rearward position,thereby sliding apart the couplings 29 and 39 from the pin 73, as shownin FIG. 2. The tower 61 is prevented from sliding by the clamps 81 onthe rack 51. The drill frame 11 is then moved to its upright position,as shown in FIG. 1. The drill drive 15 is raised on the hydrauliccylinders 13. An auger section is inserted in the drill drive and thehole is advanced. The angers are generally five feet in length.Additional auger sections are added until the required depth has beenreached. The hydraulic rams then remove the auger sections. The drill isthen ready to be moved to another location, generally without the needto lower the drill frame 11.

When use of the tower becomes necessary, the drill frame 11 is moved toits lowered position, in which the common central axes of the sleevs 31and 41 are horizontal and aligned with the long axes of the pins 73, asshown in FIG. 2. The slidable bed 5 is then moved to its forwardposition, as shown in FIG. 3. The clamps 81 are then loosened and foldedclear of the tower 61, and the drill frame 11 and tower 61 are raised totheir upright position, as shown in FIG. 4. If cables have been left onthe towers pulleys 69, as may be done, the tower is ready for immediateuse.

The tower 61 is lowered and stored on the headache rack 51 by reversingthe procedure used to raise the tower.

Numerous variations in the vehicle-mounted earth drill of thisinvention, within the scope of the appended claims, will occur to thoseskilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. Forexample, the pins and sockets may be reversed, or differentquick-connect couplings may be used on the tower, the drill frame orboth. Brackets may be provided on the tower to engage the ends of theheadache rack for additional protection against sliding of the tower onthe rack. Other towers, other drill frames and other tower supports maybe used. These variations are merely illustrative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle-mounted earth drill comprising a vehicle, a slidable bed insaid vehicle, said slidable bed being adapted to slide to a forward anda rearward position; a drill frame support on said slidable bed; a drillframe movably mounted on said drill frame support; means for moving saiddrill frame to a substantially vertical position and to a substantiallyhorizontal position; a tower, said tower being mountable on anddetachable from said drill frame; and a tower support on said vehicle,said tower support supporting said tower when said tower is detachedfrom said drill frame and holding said tower in a position to bemountable on said drill frame when said drill frame is in saidsubstantially horizontal position, said tower being adapted to detachfrom said drill frame when said tower is mounted on said tower support,said drill frame is in said substantially horizontal position, and saidslidable bed slides from said forward position to said rearwardposition.

2. The earth drill of claim 1 including a clamp, said clamp beingadapted to secure said tower to said tower support.

3. The earth drill of claim 1 including a tower coupling on said towerand a drill frame coupling on said drill frame, said drill framecoupling being adapted to cooperate with said tower coupling.

4. The earth drill of claim 1 wherein said tower coupling and said drillframe coupling comprise a plurality of sockets and pins, the axes ofsaid sockets and pins being substantially parallel with said tower andsaid drill frame, said pins and said sockets comprising essentially theentire means for mounting said tower on said drill frame.

5. The earth drill of claim 4 wherein said pin tapers toward a free end.

6. A vehicle-mounted earth drill comprising a vehicle; a drill framemovably mounted on said vehicle; a tower adapted to be mountable on anddetachable from said drill frame, and means for mounting said tower onsaid drill frame, said means comprising a plurality of pins on one ofsaid tower and said drill frame and a plurality of cooperating socketson the other of said tower and said drill frame, said pins and saidsockets having long axes parallel to said tower and said drill framewhen said tower is mounted on said drill frame, said pins and saidsockets comprising essentially the entire means for mounting said toweron said drill frame.

7. A vehicle-mounted earth drill comprising a vehicle, a slidable bed insaid vehicle, said slidable bed being adapted to slide to a forward anda rearward position; a drill frame support on said slidable bed; a drillframe movably mounted on said drill frame support; means for moving saiddrill frame to a substantially vertical position and to a substantiallyhorizontal position; a tower; coupling means on at least one of saidtower and said drill frame for mounting said tower on said drill frame;and a tower support on said vehicle, said tower support supporting saidtower when said tower is detached from said drill frame and holding saidtower in a position in which said coupling means mounts said tower onsaid drill frame when asid drill frame is in said substantiallyhorizontal position, said slidable bed slides from said rearwardposition to said forward position, and said means for moving said drillframe move said drill frame from said substantially horizontal positionto said substantially vertical position, and in which said couplingmeans does not mount said tower on said drill frame when said drillframe is in said substantially horizontal position, said slidable bedslides from said rearward position to said forward position, and saidmeans for moving said drill frame move said drill frame from saidsubstantially horizontal position to said substantially verticalposition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,904,310 9/1959 Leonard 173-28 X3,144,135 8/1964 Brown 71328X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,527,309 Dated September 1970 Charles L, Rassieur Inventor(s) It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5 line 16, claim 1" should read claim 3 Column 6 line 14 "asid"should read said Signed and sealed this 23rd day of March 1971 (SEAL)Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E SCHUYLER, JR. Attestlng OfficerCommissioner of Patents FORM powso uscoMM-oc wan-ps9

